CEO Leadership Alliance Orange County (CLAOC)

What CEO Leadership Alliance Orange County (CLAOC) does

CLAOC is a nonprofit CEO coalition founded in 2017 and headquartered in Orange County, California, convening executives from prominent public and private companies to address systemic regional workforce, talent, and capital gaps. The organization operates through CEO membership commitments and foundation/grant funding, channeling member influence into four core programs: Career Experiences (4-6 week micro-internships placing students at OC employers), OC Fellows (a two-year leadership development program for recent graduates that retains 90% of alumni in OC), AI Talent Lab (an AI education and ecosystem initiative that has reached 7,800+ participants), and Healthcare Coalition (a sector-focused effort to address allied health, nursing, and behavioral health shortages). Its underlying technology stack is built on partnerships rather than proprietary IP, including a community AI supercomputer operated jointly with NVIDIA, Chapman University, Trace3, and Run:ai, plus curriculum assets from Intel (AI for Workforce) and AWS (cloud computing modules for 4,000 students).

The go-to-market is community-led and invitation-based: member CEOs recruit peers and make financial commitments, while programs are distributed through member employer workforces, sector coalitions, and academic partnerships with UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton, Chapman University, and the Orange County Department of Education. Membership tiers are not publicly disclosed, but the model is described as annual subscription-style with dues varying by company size and engagement level. CLAOC has also spawned independent entities that extend its reach: the Southern California Master Fund (launched 2011, now operating separately with 290 LPs and $197.5M mobilized) connects regional capital to innovation startups, while the National Talent Collaborative (launched 2023) scales the talent-development model nationally with bipartisan support and $5B in federal workforce allocations.

The customer base spans approximately 50+ member companies across healthcare (City of Hope, Kaiser Permanente, UCI Health, Johnson & Johnson MedTech), financial services (Pacific Life), medical technology (Edwards Lifesciences), semiconductors (Skyworks Solutions), and cloud/IT distribution (Ingram Micro), with named employer partners including EY and Skyworks. Downstream beneficiaries include OC high school and college students, early-career professionals, and member employers seeking talent pipeline access. The organization is led by CEO and President Mark Percy, with co-founders Dick Gochnauer (Board Chair) and Doug Wilson (Co-founder), supported by a staff of approximately 10-15 across operations, talent strategies, education programs, AI initiatives, and strategic initiatives.

Name

CEO Leadership Alliance Orange County (CLAOC)

Legal name

CEO Leadership Alliance Orange County

Website

https://claoc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CLAOC is a nonprofit CEO coalition in Orange County, California, that mobilizes executives to close regional workforce and capital gaps through member-funded programs including student micro-internships, early-career fellowships, and AI and healthcare talent initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Workforce Development Coalition Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies (561311), Business Service Centers (56143)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Employer-Led Workforce Partnerships & Sector Strategies (EDAAAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate & Leadership Development (BPACANAA), Program & Project Management (PMO) Consulting (BPAHACAL)

Keywords

• CEO coalition network
• Workforce development programs
• Talent pipeline initiatives
• Executive leadership alliance
• Innovation ecosystem development

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. CEO Membership Contributions: Members are CEOs who make financial commitments to CLAOC-led initiatives. The organization operates through member dues and contributions that fund talent development programs, career experiences, and coalition activities.
2. Foundation and Grant Funding: CLAOC receives support through grants and foundation funding for workforce development initiatives, AI education programs, and talent pipeline development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CLAOC operates a CEO-led coalition that delivers a portfolio of workforce development and talent pipeline programs in Orange County, including Career Experiences (micro-internships), OC Fellows (leadership development for early-career professionals), the AI Talent Lab (an AI education and ecosystem initiative), and the Healthcare Coalition (sector-specific talent initiatives). Its core service is convening and mobilizing CEOs and member companies to address regional talent gaps, retain young professionals, and channel capital toward innovation.

Product overview

CEO Leadership Alliance Orange County (CLAOC) is a coalition of CEOs focused on building a thriving Orange County through talent and capital initiatives. Rather than a traditional technology product company, CLAOC operates a portfolio of workforce development programs including Career Experiences (micro-internships), OC Fellows (leadership development), AI Talent Lab (AI ecosystem development), and Healthcare Coalition (sector-specific talent initiatives). These programs work together to connect Orange County residents with career opportunities, develop talent pipelines for employers, and strengthen the regional innovation economy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Career Experiences
• OC Fellows
• AI Talent Lab
• Healthcare Coalition

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of OC Fellows alumni remain working in Orange County
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• National Talent Collaborative (NTC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Launched under leadership of CLAOC co-founder Doug Wilson, NTC is now an independent 501(c)(3) organization extending CLAOC's mission nationally. It brings together regional and national partners to connect education, business, and community leaders in building scalable pathways that close America's talent and opportunity gaps. Supported by bipartisan political backing and $5B in federal budget allocations for workforce solutions.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022AWS partnership announced in April 2022 to introduce cloud computing education modules and certification programs for 4,000 Orange County students. AWS provides technology infrastructure and training resources to support CLAOC's workforce development initiatives.
• Intel CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Intel partnership for AI education through Intel AI for Workforce curriculum, introducing high school students to careers in artificial intelligence, foundational AI concepts, ethics, bias, and regulations. CLAOC students won 2nd place at the Intel AI Global Impact Festival.
• Southern California Master Fund (SC Master Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011CLAOC launched SC Master Fund in 2011 as Southern California's first VC fund focused on supporting innovation and entrepreneurs in the region. The fund has mobilized $197.5 million and helped generate nearly 18,000 new jobs. Now operating as a separate entity under its own board, the Fund connects regional capital and expertise with venture funds and promising startups, backed by 290 limited partners (85% from Southern California).
• NVIDIAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with NVIDIA, Chapman University, Trace3, and Run:ai to jointly operate an AI supercomputer for community access, supporting AI talent development and education in Orange County.
• Orange County Department of EducationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership to implement AI education programs and coordinate career exploration experiences across Orange County school districts and community colleges.
• Chapman UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChapman University partners with CLAOC on the AI supercomputer initiative and provides academic leadership through faculty participation in the AI Working Group. Deployed the first 'Community Supercomputer' for Orange County.
• aiEDUminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership announced March 2023 with aiEDU to advance the movement for AI education, joining 50 partners in promoting AI literacy and workforce readiness.
• UCI Health / Rady Children's HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare employers hosting students through Career Exploration Experiences. UCI Health CEO Chad Lefteris serves as CLAOC Executive Member, and UCI Health is active in CLAOC's Healthcare Coalition addressing nursing and allied health shortages.
• Breakthrough Tech AI Program (UCLA/Cornell)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UCLA and Cornell University for Breakthrough Tech AI program that helped more than 44 women, non-binary students, and other underrepresented groups in Orange County gain skills in data science, machine learning, and AI through project-based learning.
• Santa Ana Youth Employment ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLAOC partnered with the City of Santa Ana to deliver in-person AI literacy workshops through the Santa Ana Youth Employment Program. From Fall 2024 to Summer 2025, sessions taught 250+ youth about AI fundamentals, career impacts, and hands-on tools.
• eKadence Learning FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership announced July 2026 to cultivate the next generation of leaders in Orange County through collaborative educational programs.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Jobs for the Future (JFF): National nonprofit focused on workforce development and economic mobility with employer-led initiatives that mirror CLAOC's talent pipeline model. Both organizations drive cross-sector coalitions connecting education, business, and community to build career pathways.
• National Skills Coalition: National advocacy coalition working on workforce and skills policy with a federated state and regional partner network — comparable to CLAOC's role in convening employer leaders around talent gaps and policy advocacy for federal workforce dollars.
• SkillUp Coalition: Tech-focused workforce coalition connecting job seekers with employer demand, very similar in operating model to CLAOC's Career Experiences and AI Talent Lab program structure.
• CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion: CEO-led coalition where executives pledge commitments to workplace inclusion — uses the same CEO-coalition structure as CLAOC to mobilize large-employer engagement around workforce issues.
• NAF (National Academy Foundation): National organization building career-themed academies that connect high school students with employer partners for internships and work-based learning — directly comparable to CLAOC's Career Experiences micro-internship model.

Broad incumbents

• Greater Cleveland Partnership: Regional business coalition that convenes CEOs and corporate partners around talent attraction and economic development — operates a broader agenda than CLAOC but follows a similar business-led coalition structure.

Emerging players

• Braven: National nonprofit career-acceleration program that partners with universities and employers for early-career talent development — overlaps with CLAOC's OC Fellows leadership development work for recent graduates.
• i.c.stars: Workforce development nonprofit that trains underserved young adults in technology careers through employer partnerships — shares CLAOC's mission of building inclusive tech talent pipelines.

Others

• Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC): Federal workforce development grant program that connects training providers with employers in underserved regions — comparable funder and program model to several of CLAOC's grant-funded initiatives.
• Brookings Workforce and Economic Policy Program: Think tank producing research and frameworks on regional innovation economies and workforce policy — provides the analytical foundation CLAOC's mission relies on, including the talent/VC gap statistics it cites publicly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CLAofOC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/claoc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CEO Leadership Alliance Orange County (CLAOC)